Trump Signs Sweeping Russia Sanctions Bill Named for Late Senator Lindsey Graham

President Donald Trump signed sweeping new sanctions legislation targeting Russia into law on September 18, 2026. The measure, officially titled the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, is named after the late Republican senator from South Carolina, who championed the bill before his death in July 2026.

The law targets Russia's energy and defense industries as well as its so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to circumvent existing sanctions on oil exports. It directs Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on the top five importers of Russian oil and gas, though it includes an exception for countries that import less than 15 percent of Russia's gas exports and have taken steps to reduce their purchases.

The legislation cleared Congress with strong bipartisan support, passing the Senate 86-11 and the House of Representatives 262-159. Its signing marks one of the most significant expansions of US sanctions authority targeting Moscow in recent years, and comes as the war in Ukraine continues without a resolution.